Car-brake.



No. 703,818). #latenten July l, |9o2.

J. PLATTENBURG.

CAR BRAKE.

(Application med Feb. 21. 1902.; ma maal.)

2 Sheets- Sheet l.

' CAR BRAKE.

(Application iiled Feb. 21, 1902.)

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-.Sheet 2.

`UNITED STATES dPATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH PLATTENBURG, OF MCKEESPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No; 703,818, 'dated July 1, 1902. Application iledlebruary 21,1902. Serial No. 95,037. (No model.)`

To all whom, t may concern/.f

Be it known that I, JOSEPH PLATTENBURG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mc- Keesport, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in-Car-Brakes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a view in side elevation, partly in section, showing a car equipped withl'my improved safety-brake. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the foundation -framework of the car, showing the apparatus in its relation thereto. Fig. 3 is across-sectional View, indicated by the line III Ill of Fig. l, on an enlarged scale, showing the brake in engagement with the central member, with which the brakeshoe engages. Fig'. et is a similar View showing the brake-shoe raised out of engagement. Fig. 5 is avertical sectional View, on a furtherenlarged scale, indicated by the line V V of Fig. l. Fig. 6 is a partial detail similar to Fig. 3, but showing a modified construction of the brake-shoe and the central engaging member. Fig. 7 is a detail plan View of the operating mechanism, illustrating a modified arrangement. Fig. 8 is a plan view ofA one end of the central engaging member. Fig. 9 is a similar plan 4viewof the modified construction shownin Fig. 6. Figs. lO'andll are detail perspective views ofthe verticallyadjustable sliding friction-shoes adapted to engage with such stationary members.

My invention refers to an improvement in.

car-brakes, andit is especially designed for the purpose of providing a safety or emergency brake for use on grades','theobject of the invention Vbeing to'apply a very powerful binding friction in such a manner asto bind the car downwardly against the rails, while at the same time iuterposing a strong retarding friction in such a manner as to eifectually overcome thespe'ed or momentum of the car or to regulate it within 'certain well-defined limits. l

The-invention 'consists in providing a stationary longitudinal bearing member, preferably located betweenthe rails, with which a vertically-adjustable'sliding shoe is adapted to engage, said shoe being capable of adjustment vertically, so as to vary the amount of frictional pressure, which pressure is governed and controlled by the powerful adjusting apparatus hereinafter described, and shown in the drawings.

I have utilized 'the Well-known binding power of the Wedge in both forms in which the invention is applied, and in order that the 6o invention may be fully understood reference is had to the accompanying drawings and to the hereinafter-detailed description.

Referring now to the drawings, 2 represents the underframing of a car, which may be of any desired'construction,'either of the wood or metal, and which may constitute a car of any description or forany purpose, either-passenger or freight.- Mounted on the cross-ties, between .the rails or in any other 7o suitable or convenient manner or location, is a longitudinal friction member 3, which may be of the formshown in Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 8, adapted to receive a sliding shoe internally, or of the forms shownin Figs. 6`and 9,'adapted 75 to receive the shoe externally, and in either case such stationary member is provided with tapering faces, with which the adjustable sliding shoe is adapted to engage and bind. In the principal figures of the kdrawings the 8o stationary member 3 is provided with an internal triangular-shaped opening, the inner faces 4 of which converge upwardly','termi nating in a central longitudinal slot 5. The

lentering end of the track member 3 is pref- 85 erably flared outwardly, as shown at 6 in Fig. S, to facilitate the entrance of the shoe. The shoe 7 is shown in detail in Fig. l0, consisting of an elongated body portion having wedge-shaped sides adapted to contact with 9o the sides 4L and when raised to exert binding pressure thereupon. The shoe is suspended from an upper bar S bymeans of Ylinks' 9, pivotally connected Withthe bar and the shoe by bolts or pins 10 10 in such a man- "95 ner that considerable lateral movement of the car may occur without affecting the alinement and proper engagement of the shoe with the longitudinal member 3.

The upper portion of the bar'S isslidingly roo mounted in a box or vbearing ll, secured to Y the under framework'of the car',`and'the bar is likewise provided with rack-teeth 12 on one side, with which teeth engage the teeth of the pinion 13, mounted on shaft 14, which shaftisflikewise secured in suitable bearings in the framework. The shaft 14 at its other end is provided with a worm-Wheel 15, preferably mounted in a surrounding casing or box 16, adapted to contain oil or other suitable lubricant, in which a portion of the wormwheel is at all times immersed.

17 is a vertical shaft or rod terminating in an upper hand-wheel 18 and provided at its lowerend with a worm 19, in engagement with the worm-wheel 15, by which means the shaft 14 may be rotated in either direction, so as to raise or lower the bar 8, with its shoe 7. Itwill be seen that by means of the wormgearing and the rack and pinion a very powerful leverage is exerted upon the shoe, so that a strong binding pressure may be eX- erted by it upon the longitudinal member 3 by means of the exertion of ordinary power through the Wheel 1S and shaft 17. This construction is, as shown, duplicated at each end of the car, and it will be understood that either one or both of the brakes may be applied at the same time, according to the amount of pressure desired or the degree of grade.

In the form of the central member and brake-shoe shown in Figs. 9 and 1l the conditions are merely reversed, the brake-shoe in such case entering the central member or rail, while thepoperating mechanism is the same in both cases.

It will be .understood that the central stationary member is to be rigidly secured to the ties or road-bed by spikes or bolts or in any other suitable manner and that it may be made in sections connected together and of any length and also either straight or curved to correspond with the track with which it is incorporated. It may be made of any metal or material suitable for the purpose and may be either cast or rolled, and also the hollow form shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 8 may be din vided longitudinally to facilitate the rolling operation, if desired.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 7 may be used where it is preferred to locate the brakeshoe closer to the end of the car-nas, for instance, where there is not sufficient space farther back by 'reason of the motors or other construction, and in this case the shaft 14 is located transversely of the car instead of longitudinally and is provided with the Wormwheel 15 and pin ion 13, in engagement with lthe worm 19 and rack 12, as has already been described.

shoes are kept raised until the grade is approached, when they are lowered into engagement and then drawn up tightly, applying frictional braking power in whatever degree is required.

It will be understood that various other changes or modifications of th-e invention may be made by the skilled mechanic, as by substitution of other forms of gearing or other details, without departing from my invention, while the proportions of the various parts are to be adapted to the objects in view according to the size of the car, grade, or other controlling elements, and all such changes may be made bythe designing engineer and are to be considered as within'the scope of my invention and the following claims.

What I claim is- 1. The combination with a longitudinal integral member provided with inclined faces, of an integral vertically adjustable shoe adapted to be lowered into longitudinalalinement with and slide along said member and to engage said faces. I

2. The combination with a longitudinal integral member provided with inclined faces, of any integral sliding shoe provided with similarly-inclined faces adapted to be lowered into longitudinal alinement with and slide along said member and to engage said faces, and means for raising and lowering the shoe.

3. The combination with a longitudinal member provided with inclined wedge-faces, of a shoe adapted to engage said faces, means for lowering and raising the shoe and flexible connections between the shoe and said raising means. f

4. The combination with a longitudinal member provided with inclined wedge-faces, of a sliding shoe adapted to engage and bind upon said faces, a rack-bar, and intervening` link connections, with means for raising and lowering the rack-bar.

5. The combination with a longitudinal member provided with inclined wedge-faces; of a sliding shoe adapted to engage and bind upon said faces, a rack-bar, and intervening link connections, a toothed pinion adapted to engage the rack-bar, and means for actuating the pinion.

6. The combination with a longitudinal member provided with inclined wedge-faces; of a sliding shoe adapted to engage and bind upon said faces, a rack-bar and intervening link connections; a shaft provided with a toothed pinion in engagement withthe rackbar, and worm-gearing for rotating the shaft.

7 The combination with a longitudinal member provided with inclined wedge-faces;

of a sliding shoe adapted to engage and bind upon said faces, a rack-bar and intervening link connections, a shaft provided with a toothed pinion in engagement with the rackbar, and worm-gearing for rotating the shaft, with a case surrounding the worm-gearing adapted to contain a lubricant.

S. The combination with a longitudinal member provided with inclined wedge-faces; of a sliding shoe adapted to engage and bind upon said faces, a rack-bar and intervening IOO link connections, a shaft provided with a pinion in engagement with the raok-bar, a Worm-Wheel Vmounted on the shaft, and a vertical shaft provided with a crank-handle and a Worm in engagement with the Worm-wheel,

9. The combination with a longitudinal member provided with inclined Wedge-faces; of a sliding shoe adapted to engage and bind upon said faces, a rack-bar and intervening link connections, a shaft provided with a pinion in engagement With the Worm-wheel,

' and a surrounding casing inclosing the Worm- Wheel and Worm and adapted to contain a lubricant.

10. Apparatus for braking oars consisting of a longitudinal member mounted on the JOSEPH PLATTENBURG.

Witnesses:

HAROLD V. NEWLIN, GEO. B. I-IERWICK. 

